Thunder In The Mountains: The Life And Times Of Madera Sugar Pine
The story of the life and times of the Madera Sugar Pine Lumber Company in the Sierra mountains of California. Included are many photos of their log flume and rail logging operations, Shay locomotive photos and roster information and photos of their unusual geared locomotive named "Betsy". Thunder In The Mountains
Thunder Lake Narrow Gauge
"...the story of colorful but little known narrow gauge railroad system comprised of the Robbins Railroad, the last narrow gauge common carrier in the Middle West, and the logging railroad of its parent corporation, the Thunder Lake Lumber Co. From 1893 to 1941, the Narrow Gauge hauled logs, piling, pulpwood, potatoes and lumberjacks among the lakes and forests of the Wisconsin north woods between Rhinelander and the Eagle Chain of Lakes area. Profusely illustrated with rare photographs of a railroad and logging operations of a bygone era. "
"The photographs alone in this absorbing book will instantly transport the reader into this former world. Here was the greatest stand of Douglas fir timber in existence and here was labor for the Poles, Finns, Swedes and Norskies lured out of the Midwest to convert the mammoth trees into the lumber that helped build the West Coast cities. .... Here are many nostalgic scenes showing high climbers, fallers balanced on high springboards, yokes of oxen and up to eight spans of horses dragging logs on skidroad, yokes of oxen and up to eight spans of horses dragging logs on skidroads to flumes, rivers and salt water, early donkey engines, railroads on steep grades, logging camps as well as devastating fires." ~ Amazon.com
Trains, Tracks, and Tall Timber
"The story of how it got from the forest to the consumer is an exciting tale of an industry and the railroads that serve it. From buzzing saws in the forest to the hustle and bustle of your local lumber yard, to the thunder of high-speed printing presses, the forest products industry has long captivated the imagination. First, you'll see what logging was like when steam was king and highways were few and far between. Loggers lived and worked a rough and tumble life deep in the woods. Their tales have found their way into North American folklore.
Next, you'll travel deep into the forests where logs are harvested. You'll see growling machinery hauling raw logs from the forests to trackside log reloads and pulpwood landings. You'll chase loaded log trains and watch as they're unloaded at mills. Then, you'll tour the mills where logs become lumber and paper.
Finally, learn how to add mills to a model railroading layout. Get tips from industry insiders and railroaders. Learn how to add these buildings to a layout using easy-to-build structure and rolling stock kits. Equipment, building, rolling stock and realistic operations are all covered. " ~ Amazon.com
Hardcover - 320 Page - Published in1992 by Pacific Fast Mail.
Hundreds of photos, some in color. 12 Chapters and bibliography, index, List of Maps include: West Side---1906, Location Map---West Side County. Chapter Titles are: Timber & Gold // To The Tall Timber // Sawdust & Steam // A New Era // Pickering Takes Over // Shays In The Night // Glory Days On West Side // Tuolumne Town // Last Train To Tuolumne // West Side Revisited // Hell On Wheels // Steam In The Sierra. West Side: Narrow Guage in the Sierrad Since 1930
"Professional photographer Gerald French takes the reader on a historical and pictorial journey of the railroads that were integral to the lumber industry of Central California. Featured in this book are Pickering Lumber Company, West Side Lumber Company, Empire City and the Stanislaus Railway. "